Airfoil lance apparatus for homogeneous humidification and sorbent dispersion in a gas stream

Abstract

An apparatus for spraying an atomized mixture into a gas stream comprises a stream line airfoil member having a large radius leading edge and a small radius trailing edge. A nozzle assembly pierces the trailing edge of the airfoil member and is concentrically surrounded by a nacelle which directs shielding gas from the interior of the airfoil member around the nozzle assembly. Flowable medium to be atomized and atomizing gas for atomizing the medium are supplied in concentric conduits to the nozzle. A plurality of nozzles each surrounded by a nacelle are spaced along the trailing edge of the airfoil member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An airfoil lance apparatus comprising: an airfoil member having a large radius leading edge for facing an oncoming flow of gas into which an atomized mixture is to be sprayed, and a small radius trailing edge for facing oppositely to said leading edge;   a flowable medium conduit extending in said airfoil member and having an inlet and an outlet, for supplying flowable medium;   an atomizing gas conduit extending in said airfoil member and having an inlet and an outlet, for supplying atomizing gas;   at least one mixing chamber in said airfoil member connected to the outlets of said flowable medium conduit and said atomizing gas conduit for mixing the medium with the atomizing gas to form an atomized mixture;   nozzle means connected to said chamber and extending from said trailing edge for spraying the atomized mixture in a downstream direction into the gas stream;   a nacelle connected to said trailing edge and extending over said nozzle means, said nacelle defining a shielding gas discharge space for discharging shielding gas from said airfoil member around said nozzle means and in the downstream direction into the gas stream and   shielding gas supply means connected to said airfoil member for supplying shielding gas to the discharge space.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said flowable medium conduit comprises an inner header manifold and said atomizing gas conduit comprises an outer header manifold surrounding said inner header manifold and defining an annulus for the passage of atomizing gas, part of an exterior surface of said outer header manifold forming said leading edge of said airfoil member. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said airfoil member includes an airfoil skin connected to said outer header manifold and forming a smooth aerodynamic surface terminating at said trailing edge, said nacelle being connected in a smooth transition to said airfoil skin. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said nozzle means comprises an inner barrel connected to said inner header manifold, an outer barrel connected to said outer header manifold and defining an annular space around said inner barrel, said mixing chamber communicating with said annular space and with said inner barrel, and a nozzle cap with at least one orifice connected to said chamber for discharging the atomized mixture through said orifice. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said nacelle extends around and defines an annulus with said outer barrel to form said discharge space. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said nacelle includes an internal flow distributing orifice for uniformly distributing shielding gas. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said airfoil member comprises a airfoil skin defining an interior space having opposite ends, a mounting plate having an opening therein closing one end of said skin and a register plate closing the opposite end of said skin, said skin having an opening in said trailing edge of said airfoil member covered by said nacelle, with the interior space of said skin defining said shielding gas supply means. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the nacelle extends by at least an amount equal to a diameter of the nacelle, beyond said trailing edge of said airfoil member with aspect ratio of said nacelle internal diameter to atomizer outside diameter being not less than 1.5 nor greater than 6.0. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to claim 8 including a plurality of nozzle means spaced along and extending from said trailing edge of said airfoil member, with a nacelle connected to said trailing edge extending over each of said nozzle means. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said flowable medium conduit and atomizing gas conduit comprises concentric inner and outer header manifolds, said inlet of said atomizing gas conduit comprising a service supply lateral connected to said outer header manifold. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to claim 10 including a mounting plate connected to an end of said airfoil member adjacent said service supply lateral, said mounting plate having an opening therein communicating with the interior of said airfoil member, said opening in said mounting plate and the interior of said airfoil member forming said shielding gas supply means, said airfoil member having an opening in said trailing edge thereof covered by said nacelle for receiving shielding gas from the interior of said airfoil member to the discharge space defined by said nacelle.